Charles Koch Foundation
The Charles Koch Foundation (Arlington, VA) is a private foundation that funds research and social entrepreneurs to advance individual flourishing and social progress. The official site provides grant guidelines, an online application link, news and impact stories, leadership bios, and published 990 forms.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Organizations focused on higher education, research centers, workforce development, or scalable social‑entrepreneurial projects that can demonstrate fit with the foundation’s stated emphasis on individual flourishing and social progress.
Good Fit
- • Clear education, research, or workforce-development focus.
- • Capacity to manage and report on multi-year, institutional-scale awards.
- • Demonstrable alignment with priorities around individual flourishing and social progress.
- • Evidence of measurable outcomes and rigorous evaluation.
- • Ability to engage in partnerships with universities or research centers.
Geography
Observed grants reached 32 states in the latest year and historically the foundation funded recipients across 40+ states, indicating a national footprint despite a heavy concentration of dollars in Virginia.
Recipient Variety
The foundation funded many distinct organizations each year (89 distinct recipients in 2024; 141 in 2023 and 165 in 2022) including universities, research centers, and other nonprofits, showing a broad recipient set rather than a tiny closed circle.
New Applicants
Direct evidence of turnover exists (38 new recipients in 2024, about 43% of that year’s recipients) and a public online application route is available on a rolling basis, so unfamiliar applicants have a plausible entry path; competition for large awards remains strong.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
